After escaping Western Michigan with a last-second Hail Mary in a shaky 13-12 Week 1 win, Kyle Whittingham’s team looked like a different beast against No. 11 Oklahoma. The 17-10 victory was cleaner, tougher, and far more balanced. And when the Michigan head coach was asked about the turnaround, he didn’t just explain it; he took a shot at a rival program.

“Well, we talked about our issues, and then we came out with not a lot of passion,” Kyle Whittingham said on Wake Up Barstool on September 14. “Thought we’ve just didn’t show up last week, meaning Week 1, and that’s not the case. On any given Saturday, look what happened to Oregon. On any given Saturday, if you’re not ready to play, bad things can happen,” Whittingham added.

Michigan was one second away from experiencing what Dan Lanning must be feeling right now: a CFB powerhouse taken down by an unranked opponent. In the aftermath of that close win against Western Michigan, Kyle Whittingham talked about the lack of rhythm on offense, something that will be punished against tougher opponents. Oregon also learned the same lesson, but at the expense of a defeat.

Going into the clash against Oklahoma State, Oregon was ranked No. 6, while the Cowboys were still trying to pick up the pieces from a disastrous 1–11 campaign last season. No one expected them to take down a powerhouse like the Ducks. But when game day arrived, Oregon came crashing down, suffering a stunning 39–31 defeat.

In the very first half itself, Oklahoma State completely overwhelmed the Oregon Ducks, outgaining them 353 to 101 yards. It was arguably one of the worst single-half margins the Ducks have endured under Dan Lanning.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say Oregon’s defense completely collapsed against Cowboys QB Drew Mestemaker. On the very first play of the game, he tore past the entire defense for a stunning 75-yard gain. To make matters even worse, Oregon failed to record a single sack throughout the entire game.

“The score was closer than it really was, because it wasn’t close in a lot of ways,” Lanning said after the game. “We got our a– kicked in a lot of areas.”

Oregon’s loss to the Cowboys wasn’t entirely unexpected, as the Ducks had already shown cracks this season. After drawing 10 penalties in Week 1, Oregon’s offense added seven more for 66 yards in Week 2, highlighting the team’s ongoing struggles with discipline.

They appeared unprepared from the very first game of the season, which is what Whittingham took from his own team’s performance in Week 1. Speaking about the Wolverines, the head coach emphasized that they are making sure their strong performances improve with each passing week.

“And hopefully, we’ve learned that lesson. And the mantra this week is, hey, you want to be that team that was there Week 1, or that team that was Week 2, or an even better version. And that’s—those are the options going forward,” said Whittingham.

Michigan’s response after a lackluster Week 1 has been impressive, with the Wolverines making bold adjustments in Week 2. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck reshaped the game plan around Bryce Underwood’s strengths.

Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s aggressive man coverage stifled Oklahoma’s passing attack, highlighting a dramatically improved approach across the board.

The Wolverines are looking to build on their wins, learn from them, and make adjustments, but the offense is still a work in progress, especially the passing game.